The first order is to appropriate $650,000 for the cost of a Feasibility and Schematic Design Study for the Bresnahan.

The second order is to appropriate $500,000 for the cost of a Feasibility and Schematic Design Study for the Nock Middle and Molin Upper Elementary Schools

Each year since 2007, the City has submitted Statements of Interest to the Mass School Building Authority. 2007 was the first year the MSBA used this process.

The City learned this spring that both the Nock/Molin for 'renovations' and Bresnahan for "Model School" were invited into the MSBA 'pipeline'.

The Feasibility and Schematic Design Study is an important component to the MSBA process in that "the District and its team collaborate with the MSBA to generate an initial space summary, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate alternatives, and recommend the most cost effective and educationally appropriate solution" (quote from the MSBA website) and develop a "schematic design of sufficient detail to establish the scope, budget and schedule for the Proposed Project." (also from the MSBA website).

Basically the Feasibility and Schematic Design Study is a way to save overall cost by having better planning in the beginning. Assistant Superintendent Farrel pointed out that Norwood saved $33 million dollars on the cost of its new high school. http://www.massschoolbuildings.org/node/41023

The costs of the Feasibility and Schematic Design Studies have been estimated by looking at recent projects for 13 schools across the State.

There were about 100 citizens in attendance, including parents and members of the Newburyport Mothers Club. Many spoke to the poor physical conditions at the Bresnahan and Nock/Molin.

The City is also interested in pursuing the idea of using some of the Bresnahan (after a new school is constructed in the rear of the current site) for a Senior Center. This would be a more cost effective alternative to the current site at Cushing Park which would require an entirely new building.

The Budget and Finance Committee voted 2-0 to approve the two orders. Ed Cameron and Bob Cronin voted in favor, Councillor Herzog was absent. Councillors Derrivan, Ives, Jones were also in attendance, as were Mayor Holaday, Superintendent Kerble, School Committee members Cole, Menin, Koen, Sweeney, and Weaver.

The orders will be brought before the Council on Monday night.

If the Council votes in favor, the City will begin this next phase and begin to line up support to cover the funding for both projects.

Current estimates are $30 Million for the Bresnahan new school and $15 Million for the Nock/Molin Renovation. The MSBA would cover between 48% and 50% of the costs.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

I am grateful for the honor of representing Ward 4 residents on the Council for the past two terms. Among other things, I've learned that their local Ward concerns about sidewalks, streets, traffic, and snow plowing are shared by the entire City.

If I am elected At-Large, I'll continue to focus my attention on neighborhood issues that are important to all of us.

I'll continue to work on the citywide and neighborhood issues that the Mayor and Council need to address:

Fixing our infrastructure, parks, streets, and sidewalks

Supporting our schools

Creating a Senior Center

Shaping waterfront and downtown development to benefit local residents and businesses

Reforming and improving local government to maximize the services delivered and minimize the cost.

Over the next several months, I’ll be knocking on doors as well as reaching out to voters in other ways.See you on the campaign trail!

If we have the protections in place, we can help the good, yes even great, developers enhance our community with projects. If we lie down and not make any effort to weed out the good from the bad – we will end up with a boom town with haphazard construction that we will have to live with for decades and which will ultimately reduce our community & real estate values not even mentioning our quality of life.

Look, can we just all agree that it's a bad and politically tone deaf idea to even suggest Planning Board members be called to the Planning Office to meet with New England Development over their waterfront plans?

In response to an email I sent out to Ward 4 constituents about the parking program, this email:

Thanks Ed. As of this weekend, [we] are starting to BIKE into town. Save the spaces for tourists and those who will really need them. Enjoy the health and mobility while we can.